The present invention relates to an improvement made to receptacles used in numerous sectors for displaying, decorating and even protecting various products, such as pot plants in particular. In the description which follows, the invention will be described for such an application and the receptacle in accordance with the invention designated by the expression "pot cover", but it is obvious that this is not limiting and that the invention also covers all types of recipients or containers which can contain various objects, such as, for example, baskets for displaying food products (bread, fruits, etc.).
Moreover, the invention will be described for a receptacle comprising a base of circular shape, but without leaving the scope of the invention production may be envisaged of receptacles which can have a rectangular or any other shaped base, in a similar manner.
To date, in order to display, decorate and even protect pot plants, various solutions are used by florists, the more widespread solutions consisting in:
surrounding the pot with a "sleeve" consisting of a folded tube, in particular made of paper or plastic; PA1 arranging the pot in a container (cover), which is flexible or rigid, possibly decorated and which has dimensions greater than those of the said pot; PA1 surrounding the pot with a decorated sheet, of circular shape and which, in general, has been precut. PA1 the said plane sheet is in the form of a precut blank comprising a central zone whose dimensions correspond to the base of the receptacle to be produced and, extending from this central zone, radiating strips, separated from one another, whose total surface area is at least equal to the developed surface area of the volume surrounded by the said receptacle after forming; PA1 the said sheet is based on a substance, which is possibly recycled and/or recyclable, such as card, sheets of plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, etc.) or equivalent materials having a thickness and physical strength such that the lateral strips cannot deform under their own weight when they are oriented vertically or practically vertically; PA1 forming of the said sheet is achieved by compressing it in its central part, which brings about the lifting up of the radiating strips which come together edge to edge, with possible overlap, the folded-up strips and the flat bottom being held in this position.
The plant thus displayed is possibly wrapped using a plane sheet: (paper or film in particular) whose edges are securely fastened (stapling, bonding, etc.) after positioning around the article.
Although commonly used, these solutions do not, however, give complete satisfaction.
Indeed, if the articles comprising a pleated wall (and having the shape of an open tube surrounding only the periphery of the pot or possibly the shape of a cover comprising a bottom) allow a use for pots of different diameters, the presence of pleats leads to a deformation of the motifs which may be printed on the surface (decoration, text).
The covers comprising a smooth peripheral surface have, themselves, the drawback of only being able to be used for one and the same type of pot.
Moreover, all the solutions proposed to date are either not leaktight (in the case of the peripheral sleeve) or leaktight (cover surrounding the base and the lateral wall of the pot), and do not allow a choice between one or other of these possibilities, whereas it is desirable to have a perfectly leaktight receptacle during transport of the pot and it is very often desirable for the moistening water to be able to flow out when the plant is unwrapped.
Finally, apart from the receptacles of the "pleated sleeve" type which are very elastic and do not take up much storage space, the other types of pot covers, although they are stackable to a certain extent, occupy a significant volume.
Thus, there has been found, and this is the subject of the present invention, a novel type of receptacle which allows these drawbacks to be overcome, which can not only be stored flat and be formed only at the moment of its use (thus facilitating transport and storage of the empty receptacles) but may be printed on the surface with any type of motifs which are not deformed during forming of the said receptacle, and may be produced from a very wide range of raw materials, especially recycled and/or recyclable materials.
Moreover, when the receptacle in accordance with the invention is intended for pot plants, it can be used for pots having different dimensions and, in a preferential embodiment, be used either in leaktight form or non-leaktight form, at the choice of the user.